Dead Ringers
I designed, storyboarded, directed and
animated of sketches for five series of "
Dead Ringers" including a
Christmas Special, taking sketches from script
to dig-beta
transferal.
I was given complete creative freedom, which meant
being allowed to add lots of extra visual jokes.
Sometimes a
sketch would call for some 3D CGI - so I would call up Martin
Davey.
Post Dead Ringers I directed and co-animated and
designed a sketch for a kids' version of the show, (a pilot
broadcast as part of Gina's Laughing Gear).
BBC2 2003 -
2006
Please click here if you'd like to see some stills. Below are a few videos.
Mr Happy
Dead Ringers: Mr Happy. from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
(They demanded that Youtube delete duplicate copies of the film. Kids kept uploading it - I kept getting told off and eventually had my Youtube page shut down. Tsk!)
Anyway, the whole thing made me very proud. Kids as far a-field as the states made
violent live-action remakes and so I got to feel like a sort of BBC-ish Slim Shady
for a short while.
Directors notes: I'm really proud of the little "glimmer of hope" hand wave I added.
Many comments under the vids referred to "poor Mr Happy" and I like to think this
was probably the moment where they actually cared about the character.
Oh and just quickly: I wasn't actually allowed to make the artwork look too similar to that of the Mr. Men books/TV series.
This was always the funny thing with Dead Ringers - I was always told to go away and make something look a bit less like the thing I was trying to make it look like in order to avoid suings.
You can watch this sketch on the BBC "Comedy Greats" page.
Written by Tom & Nev
Prod Caroline Norris
(BBC2 2006)
Top Gear/Wacky Races
Dead Ringers: Top Gear. from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
Verity Lambert said she liked this sketch so I like to think I was doing something right!
Written by Alan Gilbey,
Prod Gareth Edwards
(BBC2 2005)
South Bank/South Park - Kenny Branagh
Dead Ringers: South Bank Show - Kenny Branagh. from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
This was the second sketch I made for
Dead Ringers and was used in the Christmas Special. Again I had to
make certain adjustments to avoid suings.
Anyway - again I got
to add lots on the storyboard - like Mark Lawson mooning.
I didn't see this recorded but Gareth
told me that it scored really high on the BBC Clapometer. Alan Yentob
asked my for a signed picture. I like to think it's pride of place somewhere in his house.
Written by Tom & Nev
Prod
Gareth Edwards
(BBC2 2003)
Prince Charley Says
Dead Ringers: Prince Charley Says. from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
Written by Tom & Nev
Prod Caroline Norris
(BBC2 2006)
I'm A Celebrity/Jungle Book
I'm A Celebrity/Jungle Book Dead Ringers from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
About this sketch:
Okay so myself and the writer are the first to admit this aint perfect,
but I'm quite proud of some of the designs.
Ps. please see the date! Both myself and Alan have learned lots since.
Written by Alan Gilbey,
Prod Gareth Edwards
(BBC2 2005)
The Stimpsons
Dead Ringers: The Stimpsons. from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
About this sketch:
The BBC2 logo was animated by the lovely and talented Martin Davey.
This sketch is responsible for lots of angry comments on Youtube,
very probably because the Beeb uploaded it without the continuity setup. Doh.
Written by Alan Gilbey,
Prod Gareth Edwards
(BBC2 2005)
South Bank/South Park - Reality TV
Dead Ringers: South Bank Show - Reality TV from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
About this sketch:
The 3D lava was animated by the lovely and talented Martin Davey.
Written by Alan Gilbey,
Prod Gareth Edwards
(BBC2 2004)
Gina's Laughing Gear: Yugioh
Gina's Laughing Gear: Yugioh from kate sullivan on Vimeo.
About this sketch:
This is a sketch I directed and
storyboarded for a pilot kids' version of Dead Ringers.
Martin Davey and
I did the designing.
Martin also did all the animating.
Alan Gilbey did
the writing and some of the dragon noises, (which were replaced by
proper BBC sound effects).
Prod Caroline Norris
(CBBC 2006)